Love The Way You Lie
by elliexhardy
Summary: "I fell for him, I trusted him… I-I loved him. He was so genuine and… the opposite of the character he is on TV, and then this happens. It was all a lie." Punk/OC (co-written with ThatGirl54)


**Hey guys! It's been a while. Anyway, this is a one shot that I had in mind for a long time and asked my friend, Haley (ThatGirl54) if she would like to co-write it with me. It's the first time, I think for the both of us, to write something with another author. I hope you all enjoy this as much as we do. Review if you'd like! Thanks again, Haley for the help! :)**

**Oh and check out Haley's stories as well. The girl is an amazing writer :)**

* * *

"How could you, Punk?" Tears slipped down her cheeks as she spoke, her voice a small whisper.

His eyes narrowed at her as he cocked his head to the side. "Oh come on, like you didn't get a hint? It was obvious when I started to get away from you. Even Ray Charles could have seen that."

With a sharp intake of breath, Aubrey shook her head and glanced around at the crowd now forming. This was not how she expected her WrestleMania 27 night to go with her boyfriend. She did not expect anything that she had just found out either. The information hit her hard, her heart sinking into her stomach heavily.

"Get to stepping, toots!" she heard Dolph say as he stood by Punk and Swagger, giving her a smirk. She refused to cry anymore in front of them, refused to let more tears fall and give them the satisfaction. "Go on! Punk doesn't want you on his tail anymore!"

* * *

_With the New Year approaching, Colt was having a get together with a few friends at his place on the final day of 2009. Good people surrounded him, people who he rarely had a chance to see otherwise. Punk was there of course, messing around with Colt and all their other wrestling friends, chatting amongst themselves. But when the doorbell rang, Colt sprinted for the door, knowing exactly who the last person to arrive was._

"_Aubrey!" he said as he pulled the brunette into a tight hug and squeezing the life out of her small body._

"_Jesus Colt, you're going to bear hug me to death." she teased as he let her go, but not without another squeeze. Stepping inside the house, Colt showboated her around the living room, introducing her to everyone present._

"_Attention all fuckers, this is my friend Aubrey and Aubrey, these are all my idiot wrestling friends."_

"_Nice introduction Colt." Aubrey laughed, backhanding his chest playfully. _

"_Hey, fuck you Colt!" one of his friends yelled out._

_As the party continued on, Aubrey mingled with all of Colt's friends, getting to know them and being friendly. She had known Colt for years, they went to college together where they hit it off as friends and he knew that she would fit in perfectly with his other friends, which is why he invited her. Since it was nearing midnight and some of the other guys had their drinks ready for the Midnight toast, Aubrey excused herself and went to grab a soda from the table. Well, that was her intention until she saw somebody else reaching for the can of Pepsi she was going for._

"_Oh sorry." she chuckled a bit. "You can have it."_

_Punk shook his head, his long hair falling around his face. "Nah, it's cool. I'll just get one from the fridge."_

"_Well, if you're sure."_

"_Positive."_

"_Thanks." Her lips pulled up around her white teeth as she smiled up at him. "I don't think I had the chance to talk to you yet, I'm Aubrey."_

"_Punk." _

_She grasped his outstretched hand in a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Punk."_

"_Same here." he smirked as he grabbed another soda. "So you deal with lunatics quite well."_

_Aubrey laughed but nodded. "I think once you hang around Colt long enough, everybody else is normal compared to him."_

_Punk looked over at Colt, who was sitting on top of one the guys, smacking him with a pillow. He then looked back at Aubrey and laughed. "I think you're right. How long have you known Colt for?"_

"_It's been about ten years now. I went to college with him and we met during one of our classes together, we just hit off from there. He trained me after we graduated, so I learned everything from him." Taking a sip, she leaned back against the wall, Punk hovering close beside her, listening intently. _

"_You wrestle?"_

_Aubrey made a face, "when I get booked of course. I actually have a try out match for WWE coming soon, so if I get signed you may see me around." Her eyes lit up, Punk noticing the spark in them as eagerness to get into the big leagues. _

"_I'll be sure to look for you if you do get signed. Even though luck is for losers, good luck."_

"_Thank you." she smiled up to him, a genuine one that he reciprocated. _

"_Hate to break up this love fest you two have going on, but it's almost midnight and we have to do our toast." Colt said as he wrapped an arm around both of their shoulders, pulling them out of their corner to join the mass of people congregated in the living room for the countdown._

"_Then let's get to it." Aubrey said as she poked Colt's stomach and went over to the rest of the guys._

_Colt snorted and looked over at Punk. "Told you she was cool and not all prissy."_

"_You were right for once." Punk teased as they all went to do their toast._

* * *

"Leave her alone guys, I think you've done enough." Natalya appeared by her side, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. As Aubrey turned to look to the blonde, she saw the tears gathering in her dark eyes, hurt written across her face and drawing her features downwards.

"Let her defend herself." Punk raised his voice, drawing everyone's attention back to the situation. "What? Can't take the truth?" His words were just rubbing salt into the wound.

Aubrey just stood there, still replaying everything that had happened in the last ten minutes, stunned to silence. She didn't want this to be happening. She didn't want everyone's prying eyes on her while this was being revealed to her for the first time. Why did they have to be here to watch her in pain? They were like vultures, feeding off her pain. She wanted everyone to leave. She wanted everything to go back to how it was before… Back to how it was just one year ago, when everything between Aubrey and Punk was still new and fresh and exciting.

* * *

_Aubrey did in fact have the try out match a week after meeting Punk and was signed with the WWE. She had recently made her debut on the Smackdown roster, where she was managing John Morrison. Her New Year was starting out better than she could have ever imagined. The only thing that made it even better was running into Punk on her first night. They started travelling together, mostly so she could get used to being on the road and simply because she got along with Punk and they had developed a great friendship. She had tingling feelings in the tips of her fingers and toes when she was around him, a smile instantly appearing and dimples popping into place. _

_Today was one of those rare days off and instead of traveling home for the day, Punk decided they would just go to the next city a day ahead and not have to worry about getting there tomorrow. They were currently on his bus, just watching some movies on the long couch when her phone rang. "Mind if I take this in your room?" she asked as she grabbed her phone._

"_Go for it." _

_She excused herself and went to take her call. "Hey Mom." Plopping down onto the bed, she prepared for the onslaught that was her mother._

"_And here I thought you were dead or something."_

_Aubrey shook her head and rolled her eyes to herself. "I know I haven't called, sorry. It's just been hectic getting used to all this traveling and work." _

"_I figured that. I just called to remind you what today is."_

_Aubrey sighed. It was the one day she hated. "I know what day it is. I was trying to ignore it."_

"_Aubrey, the anniversary of your dad's passing is not something you ignore." her mother scolded bitterly. _

"_Well it is when I'm the one who found him dead in his chair, with the gun in his hand." she said, the memory coming back to her like a slap in the face. She could still see him to this day, his eyes closed shut, a look of peace over his face as the blood dripped down…._

"_It's just a little selfish of you to do so."_

"_Mom, I already blame myself enough, I don't need you calling me to argue and keep talking about it. I have to go. I'll call you when I can." she said quickly as she hung up._

_As soon as Aubrey hung up, she broke down to herself, putting her head in her hands and letting all the tears flow. She was doing great at avoiding this day and what it represented, but leave it to her mother to mention it. She didn't know how long she had been sitting on Punk's bed, having her breakdown…but she knew it must have been a while since she felt Punk wrap his arms around her, holding her close. _

"_You alright?" He whispered into her hair._

"_Yeah, fine." she mumbled as she wiped her tears away. "Sorry." _

"_It's okay. Wanna talk about it?"_

_Aubrey pulled away from his warm body, her fingers tingling to keep hold of him. With a sigh, she looked up at his concerned, frowning face and figured that maybe if she did talk about it, it would help her._

"_My dad died three years ago today." She paused, looking down at her fidgeting hands in her lap. "It was a suicide."_

_Punk's eyes widened a bit, but he nodded, running his hand up and down her back. His fingers were the surge of warm encouragement she needed to continue._

"_So my mom called and reminded me and I just…I try not to think about it because I was the one who found him and that image in my head is horrible. I already blame myself enough and the image with it…I can't." she said. _

"_Blame yourself?" _

_Looking back up at him, she saw his body was closer to her than she realized. She wiped away a stray tear, frustrated with herself for losing control of her emotions. She had done so well today to forget about it and now look at her. "When I told my parents that I wanted to wrestle for a living, my dad supported me, but my mom didn't. We didn't really have the money for my wrestling school, but my dad started working a lot to help me pay for it and to achieve my dream." A smile broke through her tense features and lit up her face at the memory. "It was always me and my dad working, while my Mom just sat there, not even trying to help or support me in anyway. They started to fight a lot about money and me and there were talks of a divorce before he killed himself. I always think that maybe I should have never told them and I could have done this on my own, then they wouldn't have fought as much as they did. They could have continued being happy with no problems." She raked a hand through her hair, trying to imagine a childhood with no marital fights. "He was the one who protected and defended me against my mom; he should have been strong enough to stay here for me. It's like, what did I do to make him want to leave me?" Aubrey asked with a frown, as the tears began to come back to her. _

"_Aubrey..." he said. "You can't blame yourself. There was nothing you could have done because you don't know what was going on in his head. Blaming yourself won't do anything. I don't think he would want you to do that." Punk rubbed his warm hand up her arm in comfort. _

"_Still Punk, I should have helped more or something, or just do something different with my life."_

"_No, there was nothing you could have done. Sometimes life does get too rough for others and they want a way out. Think this way, maybe he's in a happier place and supports you by watching over you."_

_Aubrey listened to Punk and nodded a bit. "I guess you're right. I never thought about it like that."_

_Punk smirked a bit. "I'm always right." he joked a little as she laughed and he wiped her tears away, the pads of his thumbs tracing her tear streaked cheeks. It was a tender touch, one she relished in. Risking a glance up at him, she saw him watching her with a look of wonder and the hint of a small smile on his lips. _

_The next thing she knew, he was leaning down and touching his lips to hers. She didn't waste a moment before kissing him back, feeling warm and safe beside him. Maybe it was because he was comforting her and felt like it was a good thing to do, but…it just felt right. She felt his hand cup the back of her head as he pulled her closer, his fingers seeping into her thick dark locks. Relishing in his touch, she felt a shiver run up her back. His lips caressed hers as she felt his lip ring between them, the cool metal a stark difference to his warm touch. Before things could progress further, or they lost themselves in each other, he pulled back but kept his hand on her cheek, his thumb tracing her jaw._

"_What was that for?" Aubrey asked, still in a daze with her eyes fluttering slowly as she took a deep breath._

"_It felt like it was needed and it was the right moment."_

_A small smile graced her now-plump lips. "Thank you Punk."_

* * *

Her feet were not moving fast enough. As she raced through the halls, passing different people, her heart hammering in her chest and her head thumping, she couldn't stop replaying what had just happened. She couldn't think straight, the thumping in her head getting louder and consuming her thoughts. Feeling a hand around her wrist, she was pulled into a room and slender arms were wrapping themselves around her shaking body. "I-I can't… breathe… this wasn't meant to… happen…" She didn't recognize her own voice as sobs mingled with her words. "H-how…?" Tears slipped from her cheeks onto Natalya's shoulder.

The third generation wrestler was quick to hush the trembling woman in her arms, squeezing her tightly. "I can't believe he would do that either, sweetie. No one else knew, I promise you. We would have put a stop to it immediately." She rocked her in her arms, like a mother would a crying newborn. "It's going to be okay now."

"No, no it's not! This won't ever be okay. I-I'm not okay!" Aubrey tried to remove herself from the blonde's arms, but her weak state was no match for Natalya's strength. "None of this is okay, Nattie."

"It will be, I promise you, Bree." She smoothed her messy hair back. "It doesn't feel like it now, but it will eventually."

The sobs carried on, for how long they didn't know, but Nattie was thankful when the brunette stopped crying and moved them over to the couch, an arm still wrapped around her shoulders as she hugged her to her side, their heads leaning and touching. They had supported each other the past year, becoming fast friends and learning from each other in the ring. This revelation was only testing their friendship. Nattie had always been so supportive of her relationship with Punk and she was blown away by what she had heard in the hallways of the arena.

"I'm so stupid." She mumbled, playing with the hem of her t-shirt. "I fell for him, I trusted him… I-I loved him. He was so genuine and… the opposite of the character he is on TV, and then this happens. It was all a lie." The look she gave Nattie, broke her heart. Pure distrust and hurt pulling her features down into a hard frown. "He never loved me, it was all about the bet… all about that bit of extra money in his pocket for making me look like a stupid love sick rookie."

"Oh honey, you are anything but stupid. How were you to know anything about this?"

"He's a good liar because he had me fooled the whole time."

"Dolph and Punk will get a piece of my mind, I can assure you. But you do not go anywhere near them tonight, or from now on, ya hear me?" She squeezed the brunette, "I don't want you alone with them for them to ridicule you again like that."

"Too late. I've pretty much lost all my dignity already. Punk told Dolph things, personal things about me… I trusted him so much. He told Dolph about our sex life, like it's just some news piece to share around the locker room. It's not! It's personal!"The blonde could see the anger blazing through the tears. The pain was still fresh, the pain of knowing the man she trusted had betrayed her. "Why me? Why did he have to bet me?"

"I don't know, honey. They're both insensitive jerks."

"Dolph said the bet was placed after he met me at New Year… Long before we got together, nothing was real between us. It was just forced. He never cared for me or loved me. After he slept with me, I knew something felt different and that's why… he got what he wanted, the rookie Diva in his bed and $500 in his pocket. He won the bet and then got bored of me…"

* * *

"_You're going to RAW?"_

_After that kiss back in April, Aubrey and Punk decided to give it a try as a couple and started dating. So far things had been going great. Punk was still in the Straight Edge Society storyline, well…until they release Luke Gallows anyway. Aubrey on the other hand was getting a Diva's Championship match at Bragging Rights, it would be her first time going for the gold._

_Today they were in Chicago, since RAW was going to be taking place there the next night. Instead of staying in, Punk decided that they needed to go grocery shopping since his fridge was empty and he had no food. They jumped out of his car, grabbing the plastic bags full of food and the essential Pepsi cans, as the winds of October wiped Aubrey's dark hair across her eyes. _

"_Yeah." he said. "They're bringing me over and putting Adam on Smackdown."_

_She reached up, brushing the hair from her face and tucking a lock behind her ear. "That should be interesting."_

"_Oh, it sure will be. Matt's injured, so they want to take him off of TV for a while and have me replace him in the Bragging Rights match. On top of that, they want to put me in a feud with Bryan."_

"_Sounds amazing. You guys go way back and I'm sure the fans will love it."_

"_Some of them anyway.'' He shrugged, letting his eyes linger on her for a little longer before a strong wind hit them. "Let's walk faster, looks like it's about to pour at any minute."_

_Sometimes, Punk jinxed himself. As soon as he said that, it started raining, little droplets hitting their skin. They picked up speed and ran over to his apartment building, so they wouldn't get soaked. But it seemed too late for that. The rain grew heavier as they rushed to get to the door, Aubrey's clothes soaked through as she tucked herself behind Punk as he hurried to unlock the door. _

_As soon as they stepped through the threshold, the groceries dropped from their hands onto the kitchen counter. "I'm soaked." Aubrey playfully whined as she laughed. "Thanks for jinxing it, jerk."_

"_I mean, I knew I was a God, but I didn't know I had those powers." He winked, watched as she stripped her drenched jacket off, revealing an equally soaked sweater underneath. Punk suffered from a quick case of wandering eyes as she shivered. "I'll uh… get you a towel."_

_Aubrey snorted and shook her head in amusement, her lips pulling up into a smirk. She had caught him. It was hard not to when he stared like that. While he went to get her a towel, she made quick work of the groceries and put them away in the fridge and appropriate cupboards. Just as she put the last can of Pepsi into the fridge, the lights began to flicker. Aubrey shot a look around her before the power completely gave way and darkness took over._

"_Power's out!" she heard Punk say._

"_Great." She muttered under her breath as she shut the fridge door. "Just friggin' great."_

_Not only was she soaked from head to toe, but now she had to stay in the darkness for a couple of minutes, hell hours even. Luckily, Punk had some candles around, so she lit them to provide some type of light and heat. She took off her wet sweater, leaving her clad only in a tank top. Twisting the item over the sink, she drained the water from it when she felt Punk put the towel around her shoulders. "There." His voice was uncharacteristically soft. In all their months of travelling together, she had never heard him use that tone with her. The brunette felt her body shiver when he pressed his lips to her neck. _

_A smile pulled her lips up as she leaned back against him. "Thank you… Sir."_

"_Hm, Sir?" He smirked. Resting his hands on the towel over her arms, moving in a motion to warm her body up. "I like that." Another kiss was placed to her shoulder this time. _

_She turned in his arms. "I bet you do." A smirk bit at her lips before a chuckle floated through her. It was at this point that she saw his t-shirt was now gone and he was bare chested with a towel over his shoulders. She swallowed the thick lump in her throat and looked down between them. Yep, jeans were still on._

_His hands moved from her arms, to wrap around her body, bringing her closer to his chest. His warmth spread through her and she placed her hands on his skin. Small fingers traced the tattoos on his chest. From the edges of the skull, over the cherry blossoms and the waves, to the length of the snake with its jaws wide open ready to finally catch its prey. She snuck a glance up to see his dark brown eyes watching her carefully with his mouth parted. She watched his tongue sneak out quickly to wet his lips. "See anything you like?" He spoke in that same soft, warm yet rough voice. Her eyes widened slightly at his question._

_This was what they had both been waiting for, except she was nervous for it finally happening… after months of teasing and becoming comfortable with each other. It had all been leading to this moment. But now they were here, she just wished she could find the courage she had hoped to have. She felt her hands shake with nerves but she just told herself it was because she was too cold. But her body deceived her as it felt like it was on fire. A bundle of knots settled in her stomach as she studied the way Punk watched her. His hand reached up, raking through her wet dark locks before snaking his hand round to settle on her cheek. His thumb traced her lower lip. _

_Before she knew it, his mouth met her, firm and dominant. His grip on her waist tightened and soon she was pressed up against his much warmer body. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own as her arms stretched up and her hands wound around his neck. His tongue slid over the seam of her lips and they parted on their own. He overpowered her easily as he pressed her into the kitchen counter, earning a moan from her lips. _

_She could feel his hands everywhere and his mouth left a hot trail in its wake as it moved down the column of her throat. They had known each other for ten months and had been seeing each other for seven months… but it all came down to this moment. The first time they would be with each other completely. It had always been a struggle for Aubrey to open up to a person and be comfortable with them. But with Punk everything had felt so easy and normal. Like they had been friends for years and this was the inevitable end. _

_Lifting her onto the counter, Punk stood in the V her legs created as he pushed the towel off her shoulders and went to pull up her tank top. He met her gaze briefly once the item was removed, before she pushed the towel off him. The same knot was still settled in the bottom of her stomach but her hands moved on their own accord as they massaged his muscled shoulders. Her lips moved to his jaw, trailing down to his collarbone. A groan vibrated from his chest and her pride swelled, knowing that she had made him submit to her, even if it was only for a moment. _

_Rough, calloused hands snaked up her sides, round her back, where he plucked at her bra hook. She missed the feeling of his long hair between her finger tips, but was glad his beard had remained. He knew how much she loved it. Feeling it scrap against the column of her neck, a grin pulled her lips up. She bit down when she felt his lips on her skin once more as he pulled away the bra. _

_Being so exposed, she felt self-conscious in front of him, being laid bare for the first time. She reached up to cover her chest while his hands were on her hips. The growl he then made sounded almost inhuman; it was too animalistic to be coming from him. Her eyes widened in their lust-filled sate as he pressed his forehead to her. "No, no, no." Her brow rose and a frown appeared. "Do not cover yourself up." His hands pulled her arms down from her chest. He pressed a firm kiss to her lips, trying to reassure her. "I'm going to see all of you in a few minutes anyway, toots." She blushed a deep crimson and avoided his gaze, until his hand reached for her chin. "Two insomniacs like us weren't going to get any sleep anyway." With a small wink, a smile broke out onto her features. He had her back on track. _

"_Not tonight." She muttered, but he was close enough to catch it. Aubrey saw his smirk instantly in the candle-lit kitchen. _

"_Nope. Not tonight." Punk met her lips, tongues battling for dominance. He tried to keep her on track, to keep her focused on this happening, with nothing else mattering in this moment but them. His ego swelled when he heard her moan loud and clear from his hands on her breasts, soft massaging motions. Her nails raked through his short hair, as her head dipped back against the overhead cupboard. Gripping the back of her thighs, Punk lifted her into his arms, her hands going to his face to press a kiss to his lips. He struggled in the dark, feeling his way along the walls with one hand to find the staircase. _

_Aubrey slipped from his arms when he walked into a side table. Cursing out loud, he stumbled to the ground, trying to keep his hands on her at the same time. But it felt impossible as she broke out a string of giggles as they lay on the carpeted cream floors in the dark hallway. _

_She appeared above him, trying to control her laughter as her chest pressed against his. "Real smooth." _

"_Shut up, you." He quickly silenced her with a kiss and made quick work to remove her wet jeans from her legs. Her giggles died inside of her when she felt his hands on her bare legs. Kicking off her Converses, she reached for his belt buckle as she wriggled out of her jeans successfully on the floor. Grabbing her waist, he lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his hips like a vine. "We won't make it up the stairs alive." He muttered out between kisses. _

"_Couch." She felt the shudder run through his body when her nails raked over his scalp. The brunette slid down him and followed the dim lighting towards the dark brown sofa that faced the television, pulling him along behind her. _

_His dark eyes followed her body through his home, appreciating her toned curves and petite figure. Stepping out of his shoes and shrugging off his jeans, He took a step closer as Aubrey turned around to face him. He could see nothing but trust and love in her eyes and it filled his stomach with knots. The final bits of underwear were stripped off their bodies as they fought for control. Punk knew she had finally surrendered when her neck leant to the side, revealing more skin to him and his waiting lips. A smirk tugged at his mouth to see her completely at his mercy. _

_Dropping down to the couch, he pulled her small body down with him, straddling his thighs. Her dark locks draped around them like a curtain as her mouth massaged against his. His hands squeezed her hips, pulling her closer and closer, until she sunk down and they joined as one. At the sudden intrusion, she broke away with a whimper and squeezed his arms. Punk pressed a line of kisses down her neck and forced her to move until her whimpers turned into moans and thin beads of sweat ran down his tattooed covered chest. _

_When morning light struck through the room, Aubrey stretched out her body like a cat in the hot sun. A pleasant ache settled throughout her body and she longed to sleep a little longer, as she had only gotten a few hours shut eye. The smell of coffee broke through her senses and she sat up, hugging the blanket to her naked form. Punk was nowhere to be seen. The brunette Diva was hoping to wake up beside him slowly, share a few kisses maybe or to go another round. But that didn't seem to be happening early in the morning. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she slowly rose to her feet and followed the trail of their wet clothes into the kitchen. _

"_The power came back on then?" She spoke up as she entered the kitchen, not an inch of her body showing. Aubrey noted how Punk was already showered and dressed for the day. She refused to let her annoyance show through. Walking over to him, she leaned over for a kiss, but just a quick peck from Punk instead. She was hoping for a bit more recognition, but instead she accepted it with a smile and nod. _

"_Yup. Middle of the night it came back, after you fell asleep." Taking a gulp of coffee, he leant back against the kitchen counter. _

"_It was a long night." _

_Aubrey pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth and grabbed a cup for herself. Trying to ignore the bitter feeling rising inside of her, she figured he was just tired and grumpy this morning. It wouldn't be the first time. She just had to try and cheer him up. That's what good girlfriends did. Taking a gulp of courage from the cup, she turned back to him and pressed herself against his chest. She watched the way Punk looked at her, almost scrutinizing her actions… but she didn't expect him to pull away so quickly when she kissed him. "I'm gonna book a cab for the airport later. You go shower up, toots." He pressed an insignificant kiss to her forehead before brushing past her. _

_Aubrey shrunk back, rejected and naked, with only a blanket to cover her shame. Still she blamed it on lack of sleep and grumpiness. In denial and suddenly cold, she collected her clothes on the way upstairs to the shower._

* * *

The brunette sniffed back the tears, wiping at her red rimmed eyes. She definitely didn't look her best on the journey here, Aubrey could care less what others thought of her. Clutching her car keys in her hand she made her way up the drive to the home of her best friend. The days off couldn't come sooner and she was eager to run away from the arenas, airports and hotels to get away from _him_. She just hoped and prayed Colt was not in on the cruel joke because she truly didn't know what she would do next if he was.

She quickly ran a hand through her hair and gave the door a quick knock. Barely even a minute later, the door swung open to see Colt stood there in sweatpants and a hoodie. She instantly envied how warm, cozy and comfortable he seemed, compared to her fragile, teary and broken down state. "Bree." Reaching forward, he pulled her into a tight embrace. She tried to get some warmth from his body as she pressed her wet face into his sweatshirt. "Let's get you some of your favorite hot chocolate… with your favorite person." The effort to make her smile was lost on Aubrey., but she nodded and followed nonetheless .

"I didn't know who else to talk to." With a mug of hot chocolate in her hands, she settled onto the sofa beside Colt.

"I found out this morning, Nattie called me and gave me the heads up." Colt spoke, squeezing her shoulder. Aubrey made a mental note to thank the blonde later.

"Did you know?" Silence greeted her. She glanced up at him, taking a short sip of her drink and watched as his jaw clenched.

"No. I promise you, I didn't." She knew he wouldn't lie to her. "If I did, I would have kicked his ass so hard, he'd be in Australia."

Aubrey nodded, knowing he would do just that, protect her honor. He had since day one at college. Nothing's changed since. "I thought I loved him." She spoke quietly and saw Colt's brow rise instantly. "He'd been acting weirdly for a while now, but I thought it was because he was back in the ring, working the new storyline with Nexus and Cena and was a bit stressed… So I stuck by him because I loved him." The brunette took another gulp, leaning back against the couch and placing the cup aside. "I was so stupid to fall for all his little tricks but it was all to get me into his bed." Letting out a little tiny huff, she turned to her friend. "He didn't even get me into his bed the first time! Maybe that was too much effort for him! Maybe that wasn't the bet rules!"

Colt's face twisted, clearly not pleased with thinking about his two best friends in that context. "Bree, I don't—" But he was cut off and he just sat and listened to her as she ranted, obviously needing to get it out.

"Sure, there were times he actually _got_ me into bed, but that was only because I basically pushed him towards the bed." She stopped briefly to take a breath. "Who knows, he could have been seeing someone else at the same time as me! I was probably a joke in their locker room for months! They knew this was going on all this time and it was all lost on me! I should've seen it coming. I felt so rejected for weeks after we first slept together. But I loved him. I trusted him. I thought he loved me too." A frown pulled her features down tightly and she took a deep breath. "But you don't treat people you love like that! You don't use them, because that's what I was... I was used. So he could one-up the locker room, prove his status, pocket some extra cash and make a fool out of the rookie."

"Come 'ere." Colt didn't give her the option, he just wrapped his arms around and pulled her in tightly. "I am so sorry. I feel responsible for all this." Aubrey tried to sit up and look up at him, but he just squeezed her tighter, despite her struggles.

"No, Colt—"

"No, I do. I was the one who introduced you two, kind of, at New Years." She sunk further into his arms when she felt a kiss pressed onto the crown of her head. "I'm sorry all this happened. You don't deserve to be treated like this."

"This is not your fault. It's _his_."

"I haven't spoken to him. But I will, trust me. He's gonna get a kick up the backside and a kick in the balls for good measure." He smiled when he heard her laugh. "I thought you two were so perfect for each other. You both share the same personality. You both like comic books and tattoos. You both know the business. You clicked right away. You both don't drink! It seemed like a perfect match." He rubbed her back in smooth, slow motions. "I don't know, I just never thought this would happen."

Aubrey curled into his side, wrapping her arms around his middle as his arms tightened around her shoulders. "Can I stay here for a while please?" She sniffled and leaned her head onto his chest.

"Of course you can. I'll give you all the hugs and hot chocolate you want."

The brunette felt her heart swell as a smile touched her lips, tears blurring her vision. "Thanks… because that's exactly what I'm craving right now."

"I'm always here for you, Bree." Colt pressed a kiss to the top of her head before reaching for a blanket over the sofa and wrapping it around her form. Her breaths were deep and even and he knew instantly she had calmed down and was snoozing. He stroked her dark locks gently, while on the inside he was bubbling with rage, he had been since he got that call today. Since then he had been expecting her to visit him. He knew she depended on him a lot, especially since her Dad had died and her relationship with her mother was strained. But he loved being that guy for his best friend. Colt wouldn't have it any other way. She was like a little sister to him and he be damned if anyone hurt his little sister. Punk's face appeared in his mind and his anger roared to life again. Immediately once he set Aubrey up in a guest room for the night, he would be straight on the phone to him, cursing his old friend out. This was no way to treat a woman, especially not one as perfect as Aubrey. She had been through a lot in her life, her heart was beat up, her ego wounded and she was easily affected by others negative opinions on herself. So who did he think he was taking advantage of his vulnerable best friend?

If there was one thing Colt was sure of, it was that Punk would be a bit bruised and battered after he was done with him. Both ego and physically.

* * *

_One year later._

It had been over a year since Aubrey had been to an arena, but tonight that had changed. Having been invited by her good friend, Natalya, she had returned – but not to work. Since leaving the company a year ago, she had still stayed in contact with the blonde, who had understood her reasons for parting ways. But she hadn't spoken to the man who broke her heart exactly one year ago today at WrestleMania. Aubrey had moved to Miami and had created a whole new life for herself. She had made a conscious effort to try and forget what had drove her to leave her dream and up sticks to move to a different state. But that proved to be harder than she thought.

With catering only a short distance away, she stopped and made conversation with crew members and wrestlers she knew, catching up briefly on what she had been up to. Formalities were exchanged but she was just eager to grab a drink and a few small snacks and dash back to the safety of the ladies locker room with Natalya. But it would never be that simple.

She recognized the back of his head as he spoke to Chris Jericho, probably about their upcoming match. He was conveniently stood right by the double doors of the catering and there was no going back now. She had come this far. She was stronger now. He couldn't and wouldn't hurt her like he did before. She wouldn't let him come close enough to. With her imaginary defense shields up and her chin raised an extra notch, she strode forward, confident as ever.

Punk thought he had seen a ghost. When he looked again, he was right. Her dark locks were down, hitting the middle of her back, her skin naturally tanned and her body more curved than ever. He was in a trance as he watched her strut past him and into catering. His stomach tied in knots but he immediately disregarded the feeling and shook away the thoughts as he turned back to Jericho. But still, he couldn't focus on anything the man in front of him was saying.

Aubrey was back? He couldn't believe it. Was she hired again? Vince did have a thing for big returns and she always was a crowd favourite. His heart thumped in his chest.

"Hey, Punk. Look alive, man." Jericho clicked his fingers in front of his face. "You look like you've seen a ghost or something." Maybe he had. Part of Punk hoped he didn't actually see her, and that maybe it was a daydream or something. "Now, back to the match, we need the finish to be spectacular, better than Rock and Cena, I mean it will be of course, because of me, but we have to…" Jericho's voice seemed to fade into nothing as Punk thought back to how things ended between them. He had gone through similar ridiculing when he got to the big leagues, it was something that happened with everyone, something everyone had to overcome and power through, but it seemed everything had been kicked up too many notches on Aubrey's ridiculing. He remembered what was said exactly. He hadn't spoke to her since then.

Colt had told him enough though. And then some. And then some more. Along with an ass-kicking, something his ego took a battering from more than his body did. He had asked about her, where she was, why she left, how she was doing. Colt didn't tell him anything though; he had kept him in the dark for a year. But he didn't like the feeling of her being back, old feelings of regret and shame has resurfaced. Those feelings which he had tried to bury deep in the ground after she left.

* * *

As she slipped her arms around the smaller body , she lifted him up onto her hip as the hotel room door shut behind her. "Bet you had a great evening being fussed over by the ladies, huh? Nattie was smitten with you so bad she didn't want you to leave her room!" She bounced the small toddler on her hip as she walked the length of the long hallway. "A real ladies man. I'll show you how to treat them right, little man. Don't you worry."

With a blanket wrapped around his little body, she hugged him close to her still. After spending more time with Natalya in her hotel room with Chinese food and baby milk and catching up, it was time for some sleep. "Now, it's bedtime for you, baby." He made a cooing sound as he rested his head to her shoulder, eyes slipping shut as he clutched a small toy in his tiny fist. Aubrey pressed a kiss to his dark haired head, her eyes scanning over his soft features. He was the best thing in her life, her number one priority, and that wasn't going to change at all.

Natalya had told her how the rest of the roster were going out for a few drinks, but that wasn't her life anymore. Maybe in a few years when her son was older, she would return to the company, but not now. Natalya instantly understood, and offered to stay with her and fuss over him some more, but Aubrey insisted she go out. It wasn't often she got pure alone time with him, with Uncle Colt visiting whenever he could and pestering her to kidnap him for the day.

A door opened suddenly opened in front of her but she kept her head down, looking at the sleeping five month old in her arms.

"Aubrey?"

She froze in place, a hand instantly going up to touch her son's head, holding him closer to her chest. She had been dreading this moment since Natalya begged her to come tonight. Her head rose slowly to see him staring at her with slightly widened eyes. "Punk." The brunette gulped as she took a subconscious step backwards.

"I was hoping I'd run into you before you left again." She winced at his statement, knowing it was a shot at her for leaving so suddenly before. "I saw you earlier."

"Yeah, I was visiting Natalya. I live here now."

"I figured." He spoke softly. She took the time to study his appearance. He still had the beard she used to love so much, and had kept his hair trimmed short, but not as short as before. She decided she liked the longer, swishy locks. He wore shorts and a black hoodie, she recognized it as one she had borrowed and worn many times before. He looked older, more mature… but it had only been a year. He was probably still the same womanizing jerk. "I'm sorry." His words jerked her from her thoughts.

"What?"

"I'm sorry." Punk looked remorseful but she wasn't sure she could trust him again. "I owe you a huge apology for what happened last year. It was stupid of me, I wasn't thinking. I just want you to know that if I could take it back, I would."

Her grasp on her son tightened and she saw the way Punk was looking at him, itching to ask questions about the small person in her arms but holding back. "You really hurt me, Punk, and I'm not sure I can forgive you for what you did. You just didn't care about me or my feelings… and I trusted you."

"I know, I know that!" He took a step closer. "I regret what I did. I'm disgusted at myself, I let my ego get to my head, but I'm sorry. Colt gave me a real ass-kicking and I think that's when it hit me, the full force of what I did to you. It was unfair and cruel and… I wasn't thinking at the time. I'm sorry." He looked ashamed, but she still wasn't sure. "I miss you, toots." But when he spoke that once-loving nickname to her, her heart dropped into her stomach and old feelings resurfaced. She wanted to talk to him, to try and understand why he did what he did. But not now. Not here. Not like this with her son in her arms, trying to sleep. "I made a huge mistake treating you like that. I lov—"

"I can't do this here, Punk."

He looked defeated, but this was not the time or place. The champion seemed to accept that but hung his head. "Some other time then?"

"No." She spoke quickly and she saw the disappointment flicker across his face. "I can't forgive you." Her son fussed in her arms and Aubrey bounced him softly, now was not the time for him to wake up. Questions would be asked, questions she wasn't ready to answer and discuss with him. Punk was squinting over at her and the baby in her arms, she saw the way he looked over every bit of him before looking back up at her face.

Aubrey wasted no time in walking past the man she once loved and pressed the button for the elevator. Punk was still stood in the hallway, watching her walk away, a sight he had seen before. But this time, he felt like she was taking a part of him with her. A part of him _away_ from him. As soon as the doors dinged open, she stepped in but spoke up. "Oh, and Punk?"

"Yeah?" His brow rose, hopeful that maybe she was up to considering a reconciliation and maybe trying to work things out. But all hope vanished when he saw her vacant features.

"_He's yours_."

The door slipped shut, taking that piece of him with her. The wrestler's mouth slipped open slowly, in a state of shock and disbelief. His heart hammered in his chest. No, he hadn't seen that coming, despite wondering where the toddler had come from. He had thought of everything except that. With his mind racing with questions, he tried to piece everything together, dates of when she left to now… trying to think of how long she had kept this from him for. Dark brown eyes looked longingly at the elevator doors, wishing her to come back up… with his son.


End file.
